EDITORIAL - Watching Duterte too much is distractive

Uh-oh, acting Cebu City mayor Margot Osmeña is going the way of the Cebu provincial board. Incoming president Rodrigo Duterte has yet to be sworn in, more than a month from now on June 30. In fact, he has yet to be proclaimed winner of the May 9 presidential election. Congress, sitting as the national board of canvassers, has only just started its official canvass. And yet the PB has already a resolution supporting a curfew that Duterte has not officially declared.

Now Osmeña is tackling the issue too. Thankfully, the acting mayor is only giving the issue a piece of her mind (she is against the curfew). On the other hand, there is not pretty much she can do while she is biding her time for the ushering in of the new city administration and its new set of officials. Following wholesale suspensions of incumbent city officials, Osmeña is left with just four colleagues to run both executive and legislative branches of government. Not much to do there.

Maybe Osmeña should just devote what time she temporarily has at the helm taking care of what needs to be done for the moment. It is best she not bother with Duterte-related issues that are really still all up in the air. Until Duterte makes things official, all that he has said – and he has said plenty – really do not mean anything.

In fact, Osmeña should know better because, in more ways than one, Duterte shares certain common traits with her own husband, incoming mayor Tomas Osmeña. Both Duterte and Tomas love to test the waters by first talking about plans they know are bound to be controversial. Instead of going right ahead and deal with controversy later, they first test the waters and see if the fish are biting.

Given the many things Duterte has already said, it is reallydoubtful if he will make good with everything he has said. Again, it is very clear he could not be serious with all of them. He is just baiting the public for reactions, which is why it would have been so funny if only it was not so embarrassing that the provincial board of a premier province like Cebu would even actually try to outdo Duterte by supporting an action he has not even taken.

Last Wednesday, the state weather bureau officially declared the start of the rainy season. This catches the city government in a very difficult situation as it only has five temporary officials to make crucial decisions. Maybe that is one of the things Margot should devote more focus on, especially in light of her order stopping all demolitions.

Some of those affected by her order are illegal structures obstructing many, if not most, of the city's urban waterways. With the rains, expected to be heavier than usual because of La Niña, soon to be upon us, Margot may have to revisit the validity and practicality of her order. By becoming acting mayor, she may be getting more than she bargained for. On the other hand, it is good practice for a more lasting occupation of the office she now holds only temporarily.